Fire-escape.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

A. B. HOLSON. FIRE ESCAPE. APPLIUATiON FILED JUNE 14, 1902.

K0 MODEL.

ENVENTOR W amm,

WITNESSES:

THE uonms PETERS c0, PHOTOVLITNOH wasnmmon. D c.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

'ALBERT B. I-IOLSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR OF TI-lREE-FOURTHSTO ORR AND LOCKETT HARDWARE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FIR -E CAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,251, dated April14, 1903. Application filed June 14,1902. Serial No. 111,716. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom itmayconcern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. HOLSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at'Ohicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Fire- Escape, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to fire-escapes; and it consists in a specialconstruction which is [O easily attached to a building or otherstationary object by any unskilled person and the movable parts of whichare not liable to become inoperative on account of a lackof lubrication,the same being illustrated in the I5 accompanying drawings and fullydescribed hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the apparatus hung to a specialform of hook which is adapted to being quickly placed in engagement witha hole in a window-frame or any other similar stationary part of abuilding. Fig. 2 is a front elevation looking in the direction indicatedby arrow E. Fig. 3- is a side elevation of the pulley-casing,on anenlarged scale compared to Figs. 1 and 2, but with one of the sideplates and the pulley end washers removed to illustrate the operativeparts and the tortuous course of the suspensory rope over the severalpulleys in its passage through the casing. Fig. 4 is an enlarged frontelevation of the suspensory bail and a portion of the top end of thesuspensory bodystrap and of the sides of the pulley-casing in section toillustrate a reliable and inexpensive 3 5 method of pivotally attachingthe ends of the bail to the casing. Fig. 5 is an enlarged frontelevation of a portion of the sides of the pulley-casing, showing aroller-bearing pulley and the end washers thereof revolubly mou ntedtherein. Fig. 6 is a section of the pulley on broken line A B, Fig. 5,and showing one of the end washers in elevation. Fig. 7 is an axialsection, on broken line 0 D of Fig. 6, of three of the parts of thecomplete roller-bearlog pulley and a portion of the sides of the casing,but with the pivotal pin and rollers for the bearing in position in sideelevation.

Similar numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In this instance the sides 1 and 2 of the pul- 5o ley-case are metalplates, with each havinga hollow projecting boss at the side centralportion, as seen at 3 and 4, and through the con ter of each of thebosses is a hole adapted to receive the ends of the suspensory bail 5,which latter is fitted with short end portions 6 and 7, bent to a rightangle to the bail and serving to hold the ends thereof in the holes ofbosses 3 and 4. when the parts are in the relative position shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 4.

The suspensory hook is of the ordinary form, shown at the outer portion10, but is bent to an S shape in the shank portion 11 to adapt it tobeing inserted through a hole in materials of different thickness whichform a part of some stationary object, such as 12, which represents aportion of the walls of an ordinary window-box frame.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the construction of the pulleys, of which 8is a cylindrically- 7o shaped sleeve whichmay be quickly andinexpensively produced from ordinary metal pipe by sawing into shortlengths and which may be left in the plain cylinder form or be concaved,as shown in the drawings.

The pins 9 serve the double purpose of forming the cross connectionsbetween the side plates of the casing and for the pivotal mountings ofthe pulleys 8, which are of sufficient internal diameter to admit of anumber of cylindrical rollers 13 between the pins and the internalsurface thereof. At 14 and 15 are washers loosely mounted upon thepivotal pins and separate from the sleeves 8, this arrangementpermitting the rollers 13 to have an end contact with the revolvingwashers instead of the stationary side walls of the casing. The insideperipheral edges of the washers are rounded or beveled to preventchafing the suspensory rope 16,which without the washers would contactthe stationary sides of the casing.

In the use of this apparatus for a fire-escape a hole may be madethrough the side of a window-box frame of about five-eighths of an 9 5inch in diameter, which will permit shank 11 of the hook to be inserted,and the hook may then be brought to the position shown in Fig. 1, whenit will be perfectly secure from withdrawal from any downward force onthe suspension-rope 16, which is in engagement with the hook, as shown.

In assembling the parts of the pulley-case and hail 5 the sides 1 and 2of the'case may be each presented at a sufficient angle to permit theentrance of the bent ends of the bail into the holes in the bosses 3 and4, when if the sides of the case are moved to the position relative tothe bail shown in Fig. 4 it is obvious that the bail will be held inengagement with the sides of the case and that the pulleys may be placedin position and the pivotal pins be inserted and the ends riveted toform the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The suspensory rope is provided with a loop at'each end, and on accountof the bail 5 being pivotally mounted at the central portion of the casethe latter is reversible, so that either end of the suspensory rope maybe attached to hook 10.

In operation the long end portion of rope 16 is permitted to fall to theground, while the short end is in engagement with hook 10, when theperson using the apparatus may adjust the loop 17 around the body, so asto assume a sitting position, and then by grasping the portion of therope under the pulleycase and suspending himself easily regulate thespeed of descent by a downward pull, which tightens the contact of therope around the pulleys and increases the resistance in proportion tothe force applied.

The form of cylinder roller-bearing shown was devised to insure a stronginexpensive construction and to prevent an undue amount offriction,which is a fault with pulleys mounted directly upon the pivotalpins when in a rusty condition and without lubrication.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a fire-escape, a rope and means forattaching one end thereof to constitute a suspensory, a series ofpulleys mounted in a oasing, the rope threaded through the casing in atortuous course in contact with the pulleys, and the lower end portionof the rope pendent from the casing in combination with abody-suspensory comprising a pendent bail pivotally attached to theintermediate-0flength portion of the pulley-casing, and a pendent loopattached to the bail for the purpose stated.

2. In a fire-escape, a pulley-case comprising two side parts, a seriesof pins connecting the parts, a series of sleeves mounted around thepins and a series of rollers disposed around the pins and within thesleeves, washers mounted on the pins between the ends of the sleeves androllers and the side parts of the casing, substantially as and for thepurpose shown and described.

3. In a fire-escape, a pulley-case comprising side parts and means forconnecting such parts, as stated, holes in the central portions of saidparts, and a bail having the ends thereof pivotally mounted in theholes, the

ends of the bail projecting into the casing and bent to an angleopposite the main body of the bail and serving for the purpose stated.In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT B. HOLSON.

Witnesses:

OSCAR SNELL, EDWARD STONE.

